Opinion

Derek Jones: 'John Hays knows this game better than anyone'

With tightly managed overheads and lower central costs, Hays will be onto a winner with its acquisition of Cook’s retail network writes Derek Jones

Tony Mann: ‘We'll reassess our go-to operators when the dust settles’

“Never in all my days did I think Thomas Cook could actually cease trading”

Daniel Pearce: 'The sun will never truly set on Thomas Cook'

’The people that gave the business such heart will go on to benefit and enhance every corner of the travel industry that remains’

Why Thomas Cook’s illustrious past was no guarantee of its future

178 years of history doesn’t necessarily mean there will be a 179th

Daniel Pearce: ‘What happens now that yellow heart has stopped beating?’

‘The sad truth is that goodwill, passion and heart were never going to be enough to keep a business saddled with £1.6 billion debt alive on their own’

Thomas Cook: What are the industry’s obligations to customers?

‘Before we can allow the news to sink in the industry needs to deal with its obligations to customers’

Thomas Cook ‘ploughed on with legacy model for too long’

‘A 178-year history sadly counts for nothing if you don’t prepare for the future’

Sophie Griffiths: Barbie might help girls think big, but travel needs real-life role models

Have you ever seen that video on YouTube where a class of 66 children are asked to draw a firefighter, a surgeon and a fighter pilot? Sixty-one of the kids draw men – only five draw women.

Sophie Griffiths: An election threat is a Sword of Damocles hanging over our sector’s head

Industry professionals are becoming more vocal about their frustration with government and it seems they are being listened to

Justin Francis: Travalyst has great intentions, but we have greater expectations

Prince Harry’s launch of Travalyst is encouraging, but it has also raised a few red flags

Richard Dixon: ‘We can all do with richer, happier days’

I recently experienced something that’s become quite unusual… a pleasant exchange on Twitter.

Alistair Rowland: 'Change for our industry is nothing new'

In his first trade commentary, new Abta chair Alistair Rowland takes a look at the challenges facing the sector

Derek Moore: Rivals can work together for the greater good

Recent events in Sri Lanka provided a perfect example of the benefits of self-help under Aito’s banner

Sophie Griffiths: Cook's rescue deal should be welcomed by all

There were shockwaves in the industry last week – and not just because of Boris Johnson’s Westminster shenanigans

Kirsten Hughes: Why are we still tackling the same issues 15 years on?

’If we care for our customers, their money should never be put at risk at all’

Sophie Griffiths: Understanding what is and isn’t protected in travel is not exactly easy

Wildlife enthusiasts are not people you would usually suspect of flouting the law, but last year a bird fair rightly got some industry figures in a bit of a flap

Sophie Griffiths: Why the travel sector's not buying Boris Johnson's rhetoric

’It’s hard to be optimistic when there’s such little substance beneath the new PM’s bluster’

Mary McKenna: You thought the claims culture in the UK was bad...

Mary McKenna on how insurance increases in Ireland are impacting tour operators’ balance sheets

Pippa Jacks: Sell Sri Lanka as the great value destination it is

The impressive guest list at an event to reignite Sri Lanka’s tourism industry shows just how loved it is

Sophie Griffiths: Why you can't afford to ignore the purple pound

Did you know the purple pound is worth an annual £250 billion? Do you know what the purple pound actually is? For many in the industry the answer to both questions is probably no. But here’s why you should know.

Sophie Griffiths: How the hell can you know if there’s an issue if you don’t collect the data?

Jon Terry, PwC’s UK diversity and inclusion (D&I) consulting leader questioned delegates at the first TTG Diversity & Inclusion in Travel conference. Good point.

Pippa Jacks: Package holidays might be your bread and butter, but there’s something more satisfying in the middle

It’s no secret that profit is thinly spread in the mainstream package market at the moment.

Sophie Griffiths: The message that the LGBT+ market is big business has emerged loud and proud

Fifty years ago on Friday, police raided a bar called the Stonewall Inn in downtown New York. It was the last straw for the gay, lesbian and transgender patrons inside, frustrated with continuous harassment.

Sophie Griffiths: Opportunities of change' in these 'tough trading conditions

Of the many inspiring sessions at this year’s ITT Conference, it was the closing speech by the founder of a tour operator that seemed to leave the strongest impression on delegates